Rail-joint.



W. J. HEALY.

BAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED AFR-24, I915.

Patented July 13, 1915.

WILLIAM J. I-IEALY, OF NATIONAL, MARYLAND.

RAIL-JOINT.

Application filed April 24., 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. HEALY, a citizen of the United States,residing at National, in the county of Allegany and State of Maryland,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Joints, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rail-joints and especially to the type whichembodies a railchair to support the ends of the rail.

The object of this invention is to provide a joint in which the boltsare securely locked by means of one of the flsh-plates and without theuse of nuts and to brace the head and web of the rail so that it will bereinforced and strengthened against lateral thrusts and verticalpressures.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section andperspective of a railjoint embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top planview of the same cut away on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is afragmentary perspective view of the rail-chair; Fig. 4 is a similar viewof one end of my combined fish-plate and locking-plate; and Fig. 5 is avertical section and perspective view of a modification embodying myinvention.

The numerals 1 denote the usual railway rails,jhaving their abuttingends seated in the rail-chair of my improved joint, the same embodying abase 8 and an integral side piece 5 extending up on one side of therails and forming a fish-plate therefor. The 0pposite side of the railbase is upset and overturned to form a flange 7 and providing anunder-cut groove 8 to receive the lower outer edge of the combinedfish-plate and lockingplate 10. The side piece 5 is provided with theusual bolt holes. I have shown the bolts 12 provided with reduced neckportions 12 which are inserted through the holes in the side plate andsecured therein by the heads 141 which are then upset or flanged on theouter ends of the bolts. It is obvious that I may employ bolts having auniform diameter which may be inserted through the holes in the sidepiece while the parts of the jointare being assembled and, if desired,such bolts may have a squared neck or body portion and the rail or sidepieces may be provided with corresponding holes to prevent the turningof the bolts. The inner ends of the bolts are notched at 15 andpreferably have their outer ends rounded as in dicated at 16 tofacilitate the assembling of the parts.

The combined fish-plate and locking-plate Specification of LettersPatent.

Fatented July 13, 1915.

Serial No. 23,664.

10 is preferably rolled or constructed with the base portion 10"extending outwardly at an angle which conforms to the inclination of theupper face of the rail base and with the toe 10 bent downwardly toconform to the under-cut groove 8 in the railchair. The side or verticalportion of the fish-plate may swell or curve outwardly as indicated at10 with the upper edge or margin returned or bent downwardly into avertical flange 10 whichis adapted to slide into the notches 15 of theseveral bolts of the joint, the space between the downwardly turnedflange and the inner wall of the plate forming a recess 16 whichincloses the outer ends of the bolts, so that they are completelyhoused. This recess 16 alsoforms a protected chamber to inclose theusual electric bonds by which the rails are bonded together for thepurpose of forming continuous conductors for signaling and other uses.

I prefer to construct the fish-plate so that the top surface will beartightly against the under side of the head of the rail, the innervertical face of the flange 10 bearing against the web and the toe 10being wedged tightly into the groove 8, so that this fishplate will forma very rigid brace for the rail and will transmit lateral strains andvertical pressures to the flange 7 which eX- tends throughout the lengthof the railchair.

When the parts of the rail-joint are to be assembled, the rails havingbeen properly alined on the ties, the rail-chair 3 is swung under therail ends with the bolts 12 passing through the usual holes in therails, this being facilitated by the rounded ends 16 of the bolts. Thecombined fish-plate and locking-platelO is then placed against the weband base of the rail at one side of the joint and driven in a slidingmanner into position, the toe 10 sliding through the groove 8 and thelocking flange 1O sliding through the notches 15 of the several bolts.In order that the parts shall be wedged tightly when the plate 10 is infinal position, I form the outer edge of the toe 10 upon a slight taperand I also correspondingly taper the depending flange 10 as indicated bythe converging broken lines 18 and 19 in Fig. 2. Instead of tapering theflange 10 the notches 15 in the series of bolts may be arranged toproject on a tapering line extending from one end of the joint to theother so that the flange 10 will gradually wedge against the outer edgesof the notches 15 and thus place all of the bolts under a substantiallyuniform tension when the lockingplate has been driven into its finalposition.

The toe 10 of the fish-plate is provided with a series of notches 20which register with the holes 21 passing through the railchair andflange 7 when the parts are in position so that the spikes which fastenthe rail-chair to the ties also lock the fish-plates 1O securely inplace. The opposite flange of the rail-chair is provided withcorresponding notches 23 to receive the spikes.

I wish it understood that my rail-joint may be used without therail-chair plate 3 and I have indicated this modification in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings. In this case the fish-plates are secured in the usualmanner by being spiked to the ties and I may also secure one or morespring arms 25 to the plate 5 which pass under the rails and engagenotches in the locking-plate 10, as indicated, to thereby securely holdthe lockingplate in proper position with respect to the bolts 12. Thisconstruction also provides a clamping action between the oppositefishplates which adds rigidity to the rail joints and renders it lessliable to displacement under the constant vibrations due to the passingtrains.

The great advantages which are derived from the use of my improvedrail-joint will be evident to engineers and those especially familiarywith road bed constructions. My rail joint not only provides anexceedingly rigid and strong joint, the parts of which are maintainedunder constant tension which prevents any loosening, as is the case whenthreaded bolts and nuts are employed, but also effectively protects theouter ends of the bolts from injury and from being tampered with,thereby insuring the integrity of the joint and lessening the liabilityto fatal accidents. The construction of the locking-plate also providesan unusually strong brace to reinforce the rail against any tendency tolateral bending or shearing due to the enormous strains to which therails are subjected under conditions of modern traffic.

While I have described in detail the particular construction illustratedin the accompanying drawings for the purpose of clearly disclosing anembodiment of my invention, I am aware that various changes may be madetherein within the scope of my claims and without departing from thespirit of my invention.

I claim 1. The combination with the abutting ends of two railroad-railsprovided with boltholes, of a rail chair having a side piece adapted toextend over the rail flange and upwardly against the web forming afishplate and provided with a series of holes corresponding with saidbolt-holes, bolts extending through said holes in the side piece and inthe rails and each having a projecting end provided with a notch uponthe upper side thereof, and a fish-plate upon the opposite side of therails having a base flange to bear upon the rail flange and an uprightmember bent outwardly to form a recess for said projecting bolt ends,and then downwardly to form a depending flange, to engage the notches inthe bolts when said plate is shifted longitudinally across the joint.

2. In combination with the abutting ends of two railroad-rails providedwith b0ltholes, of a rail-chair adapted to pass under said rails andhaving an integral side piece extending upwardly on one side of therails, the opposite side of said chair being provided with an upwardlyturned flange, bolts passing through holes in said side piece andthrough said holes in the rails and having their inner projecting endsprovided with notches upon the upper side, and a fish-plate upon theopposite side of the rails having a base-flange adapted to rest upon therailflange and to engage said chairflange, said fish-plate having a sideportion bent outwardly to form a recess for the ends of said projectingbolts and then bent downwardly to form a depending flange to engage thenotches in the bolts when said plate is shifted longitudinally of thejoint.

3. The combination with the abutting ends of railroad rails providedwith bolt-holes, of a fish-plate upon one side thereoi 'having holesadapted to aline with said bolt-holes, bolts extending through the holesin said plate and said rails and having projecting ends provided withnotches upon the upper side, and a combined locking and fish-plate uponthe opposite side havinga flange to bear upon the rail flange and anupwardly extending side portion bent outwardly to form a recess for theends of said bolts and then bent downwardly to form a depending flangeto engage the notches in the bolts when said plate is shiftedlongitudinally.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. HEALY.

Witnesses JAMns I-I. TENNANT, PAUL L. HrroHINs.

(foplel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0'."

